Railroad-switch signal



(No 1110691,) I. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1;

A. H. BAKER..-

Railroad Switch Signal.

Patented June 22, 1880.

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A. H. BAKER.

ilroad Switch Signal.

Patented ne 22,1880.

IV'itnesses:

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AUGUSTUS H. BAKER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

RAI LROAD-SWITCH SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,075, dated June 22, 1880.

' Application filed April 30,1980. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS H. BAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switch Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will 'enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of the present invention as applied to use. Fig. 2 shows, in a plan view, this invention as adapted for use, the top of the shifter-box being removed and the connecting-wires uncovered. Fig. 3 is a detail, showing, in plan view, on line a: w of Fig. 1, the mechanism in the signal-box for operating the signal. Fig. at is a plan view, showing several of the shifting-boxes as in position when the signals indicate safety.

This invention relates to improvements in railroad-switch signals; and the novelty con s'ists more particularly in such construction and arrangement of the parts making up the whole device that, wh atever number of switches are attached to the signal, if one or more of the said switches are misplaced, the signal will show danger until all the switches are set right, all as will nowlbe more in detail set out and explained.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes any main railroad-track, and B, C, and D side or branch tracks, either of which can be connected to the main track by means of the switches E or F, as the case may be. The said switches connect, respectively, by rods e f, at-

tached to and running underthe track; or

said rods may each be in two parts, one extending from the switch to and connected with the rail nearest it, and the other part connected with the opposite rail of the track in like manner, and at the other ends with the ends of the slidingbars G and G, one of which, G, is adapted to be moved in or out of the shifting-box H, and the other, G, in and out of box H, so that the movement of their respective switches shall actuate the bar connected with it.

To the two pins h 71., set in each oneof the sliding bars, one about a fourth of the length from one end and the otherin like position on the other end, are pivoted the links i i, one on each side of each pin h, the other ends at said links extending, respectively, to and jointed on the vibrating levers 7c, of which there are four in each box, two on each side of each of said sliding bars. Thus when the sliding bar is moved in or out of the shifting-box the motion is conveyed by said links to the said levers. The opposite side of each of said levers is connected to an arm, Z, of which there is one sliding in each end of the shifting-box, by means of a chain, or in any desired way, the outer end of each of said arms Z on that side toward the signal-box having a wire, m, connected to it, and on the opposite side, at l, the

said outer arm is attached to a wire, in, connected with the like end of the arm Zof another shifting-box, while the arm 1 on the inner side of the said box, at its inside end, Z,

has a wire, a, to be connected with another shifting-box if there is one otherwise left free.

When there are two of the shifting-boxes H H, as now shown, or when more, the two outer ones connect by the wires on with the weighted lever o in each signal-case P, which are in line, but at a little distance from the main track, this lever being connected by a link, q, with an arm, 1", on the vertical rod 8, which carries on its upper end the signal T, which is easily made to actuate said signal according as the wire m is moved by the operation of switches.

It will be observed that the wires connecting between shifting-boxes do not have any function in operating the mechanism in the boxes, but merely extend through the said boxes to the signal at either side. In use this will be at either terminus of the railroad-Sta tion. Therefore, in operating the shiftingboxes to show danger, the main wires are drawn into the shifting-boxes, and when the switch is set right the mechanism to show safety is within the signal-case.

It is preferred to use covers on the shiftingboxes and signal-cases to protect them from the weather, and danger of being interfered with. The connecting-wires may be run on otherwise protected.

With this explanation of thedetail of construction of my invention, I will now proceed to describe the operation.

When the main track A is clear and in order, as shown at switch E, the signals '1 T will, by means of the apparatus in the shifting-box H, be set straight; but if the main track is not clear or in order, as shown at switch F, the mechanism of box H will so control each of the two signals as to show by their misplacement, which may be more or less, that the main track is out of order. When, now, the track is in proper order and the way clear, the shiftingboxes will have the parts all in due order, as shown in Fig. 4, and then the signals will show safety.

By my said invention all the switches at a station turn-out or crossing can be attached to a signal or signals at all the approaches in such a manner that all the signals shall indicate danger if any one switch is misplaced.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a railway-switch and signals located each way at a distance therefrom, of a shiftingbox provided with mechanism, substantially as described, and a sliding bar connecting with the switch, whereby thecorrect orincorrect position of the switch will be signaled, substantially as set forth.

2. The sliding bar connected to a railroadswitch and combined with slotted links i z, and vibrating levers 7c, and sliding arms l, and wires m, m, and n, substantially as set forth.

3. In a railway-switch signal, the combination, with one or more switches and sliding bars connected therewith and signals located at a distance each way therefrom, of a corresponding series of shifting boxes provided with mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the displacement of either switch from the main track will be indicated by both signals, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS HASTINGS BAKER.

Witnesses:

JOHN ALDEN SToUGHToN, LEWIS SPERRY. 

